Epiphany 2022: proverbs, nursery rhymes and children's songs about the Epiphany

There are millions of phrases, nursery rhymes and proverbs about the mythical Befana, you are spoiled for choice! Here are the ones chosen for you.

He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him

That the witch comes at night with all broken shoes is now well known, but few know that it is an old woman who comes down from the moon on a broom broom as soon as the sky darkens ... In short, phrases, nursery rhymes and proverbs about the good witch there are some to go go, you are spoiled for choice!

Epiphany (from the Greek "apparition") is a Christian holiday celebrated 12 days after Christmas, therefore on January 6, for the Western and Eastern Churches that follow the Gregorian calendar. But for children it is, with good reason, one more opportunity to indulge themselves and wait for the "sock" from the legendary Befana.

About her they say all the colors, but it is true that she is a very old woman who flies on a worn broom, to visit the children in the night between 5 and 6 January and fill her socks mostly with sweets. , candy or small toys. Beware, those who have been naughty will find (also) some coal or garlic.

Here are some proverbs, nursery rhymes and phrases chosen for you to invoke the sweet lady and make her come to your puppies:

Index

Proverbs on the Befana from the Regions:

"Befania, send all feasts away, and Santa Maria, revive them" (Tuscany)

"The note of Epiphany all the beasts speaks" (Veneto)

"La note dla Pasqueta e'scor e 'ciù e la zveta" (on the night of the Epiphany the curlew and the owl speak - Emilia Romagna)

"For the Pasqueta, Carnvèl a bacheta" (For the Epiphany Carnival at full blast - Emilia Romagna) "The Epiphany takes all the holidays away, then San Benedetto arrives bringing back a nice bag"

"On Easter Epiphany the wind goes away"

"The night of Befana, in the stable the donkey, the ox and the mare talk"

Nursery rhymes about the Befana

The Befana comes by night
with broken shoes
with patches on the petticoat:
Long live the Befana!

—

Above the roofs, little by little
the old woman goes and, from the fireplace,
then it drops and bounces down
to fill your sock
of charcoal or sweets
of oranges and games.
Then it goes back up, it goes away
and another year he will come back!

—

While the witch was going
in a child's house,
she got caught in the skirt
above the edge of the fireplace.

To tear the big sack
escaped her, fell below,
not even a package remained
that it wasn't all broken.

"What a disaster, what a cancellation"
under the dark and gray sky,
murmured the old woman.
“It would take a nice prodigy”.

Then, with a big smile,
towards the sky he turned his eyes
and the sack, suddenly,
it was still full of toys.

“May a child wait in vain
never, my word "
said the witch, softly.
Then he resumed his journey.

—

O Befana, Befanina,
don't pass so fast,
don't forget my little house,
don't forget my sock!

I prepared the cicchetto
a bunch of beans and hay,
I left you a basket
full of cicchetti.

You, coming late at night,
when I sleep and think of you,
make my stocking well rounded;
I will be happy as a king!

—

When it's time, the Befana
he jumps on the broom's back.
It is already overflowing with impatience:
raises it on the north wind,
gallops through the clouds.
Each child in his bed
does the examination of conscience:
curses the kid,
blesses obedience:
In the morning on the first ray
if it rushes to the road.
A beautiful gift to the wise child,
to the villain a charcoal!

—

At the Befana a shoe broke,
and she also unstitched her scarf.
His hood is all faded,
with rips and holes is her dress.
The broom alas is all plucked,
and his club has now broken.

So he runs into a warehouse,
buy a dress, a red sweater.
Big boots, nice socks,
a nice cap and knickers.
Finally buy a moped
and hooks behind a cart.

So harnessed and half splashed,
goes down the street all shot.
Then it flies in the sky between clouds and stars
collects games and beautiful dolls.
And, trumpeting as he ascends,
chases Santa's sleigh.

—

Hush, hush good children,
early, early down to sleep:
the Befana is about to come
with his sack full of gifts.

—

La Befana is an old woman
descending from the moon
on the broom of sorghum
as soon as the sky darkens.

And slowly approaches
to socks and shoes
lined up on the fireplace
and, laughing, puts and puts ...

Outside the north blows
and the white snow comes down,
but for children the Befana
he is not cold and he does not get tired.

—

With the north wind
the Befana has arrived
and wanders around in socks
between chimneys and chimneys
that await him impaled,
smiling and smoked.
"Here" a chimney warns her
“There is a little one who is having fun
all day: a slacker! "
"Here, ash and coal!"
“Is there a judicious child here?
Here is a generous gift,
but to the negligent brother
I immediately leave a damn thing.
Is there a vanerella girl?
Here is the duck,
but the most beautiful toy
I give it to an orphan:
for a moment the smile
it will return to the sad face.

Famous writings on the Befana

In every elegant house there is the main door for the gentlemen, and there is the service door for the suppliers; but the heavenly door for the gods must not be missing. It could be said that the chimney hood is the tunnel that connects the earth to the sky. […] Due to certain conventions, and a very widespread lack of upward courage, perhaps this door is little used. This does not mean that the door of the Befana is not the real main door: the door that opens onto the universe.
Gilbert Keith Chesterton

The Befana is coming
From a very distant land,
so far away that it is not there ...
the Befana, do you know who she is?
The Befana comes,

if you shut up you hear it well:
if you shut up you fall asleep,
the Befana no longer hear.
La Befana, poor thing,
gets confused in haste:
instead of the train I had ordered
some coal left me.
Rodari

They told me, dear Befana, that you fill your wool sock, that all children, if they are good, receive rich gifts from you. I have always been good but you have never brought me a gift. Also this year in the calendar you pass right on time, but I'm afraid, poor man, that you travel by direct train: a train that skips many stations where there are good children. I sent you this letter to get you to take the accelerator! O dear Befana, take a little train that you stop at the home of every child, that you stop at the homes of the poor with so many gifts and so many confetti.
Rodari